African Leaders Announce New Fight Against Malaria

(HN, May 6, 2010) - In order to reverse the 850,000 deaths caused each year by malaria in Africa, leaders from 26 countries on the continent have announced a new campaign to eliminate the deadly disease using a combination of bed nets, insecticides and medication.

"We believe that if we cover everybody in Africa with bed nets, insecticides and medication by the end of this year, we will have zero deaths or near zero deaths from malaria in Africa by 2015," said Ray Chambers, a U.N. special envoy for malaria and a multi-millionaire investor from Newark, N.J.

Tanzania's President Jakaya Kikwete said the triple-blow approach has yielded impressive results in the archipelago of Zanzibar, where malaria cases fell to below 1 percent from 40 percent. The announcement was made at a news conference of the African Leaders Malaria Alliance on the sidelines of the World Economic Forum on Africa.

U.S. Malaria Coordinator Timothy Ziemer said the U.S. government has made a budget request of $680 million for the fight against malaria in 2011- including $100 million for the Democratic Republic of Congo and Nigeria.

Malaria is caused by parasites transmitted to humans through the bite of an infected mosquito. The disease costs Africa over $40 billion a year in treatment and sick days.

Although insecticide-treated bednets are one of the most effective tools to prevent infection, experts say it is also crucial to supplement this with spraying, removal of breeding areas and education. Making medication cheaper and easier to access is also seen as a crucial step.

---Reporting by HUMNEWS Staff, agencies